Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad gives a three-day deadline to land encroachers

Through a print ad published on January 3, 2017, the Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad (MCI) has given detailed instructions about the encroachments it intends to target right after the expiry of the three-day deadline given to encroachers. The corporation has given three days to people to voluntarily remove the encroachments that fall in the territory of MCI.

The corporation is looking to raze the encroachments set up in front of markets, shopping plazas and trade centers and has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against pushcarts and stalls operating without permit or license. Furthermore, MCI will also take legal action against illegal shops, tea stalls in public parks, temporary automobile repairing shops, and other similar illegal developments.

Encroachments in sports grounds and even shades developed for cars parked outside the houses are termed illegal by MCI. In addition to this, rubble and building material scattered around the construction site will also invite the MCI team to act according to the laws set by the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) and the corporation has clarified that it will not be responsible for anyone’s financial loss. By the way, the slogan for this campaign is “stay in your limits!”

The civic bodies in Islamabad are keenly curbing the practice of illegal use of property and have taken many actions against such developments in the past. Recently, an action was taken by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) against the non-conforming use of property in the CDA sectors. During this drive against the illegal use of property, many guesthouses, schools, offices and salons set up in residential areas were fined and were forced to either declare their property as commercial or stop using it for commercial purposes. The case was taken to the court by the owners involved in non-conforming use of property and the verdict eventually came in favour of CDA.

The civic authority has also been actively involved in carrying out operations against shantytowns set up in different sectors and areas that fall in the jurisdiction of ICT. These operations spurred debates on social media and the public apparently showed sympathy for the residents of shantytowns. This matter, too, was taken to the court and hearing one case, the Supreme Court of Pakistan emphasised on the need to initiate low-cost housing societies at the state level. We are still waiting to see the outcomes.

Let’s see what happens after three days. Rest assured, we will keep you updated as soon as further information, in this regard, becomes available to us.